


Gladiolus Amicitia x Reader - A Collection of Love

by Oreana



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Angst and Fluff and Smut, Comfort/Angst, Drabble, Drabble Collection, Eventual Smut, F/M, Fluff and Smut, Love, Love Confessions, True Love, Vaginal Sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-12
Updated: 2018-07-12
Packaged: 2019-06-09 12:56:29
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 11,545
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15267963
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Oreana/pseuds/Oreana
Summary: The righteous Shield of the King and your protector, your lover, your everything will do whatever it takes to see through things to the end.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> A collection of drabbles that were requested involving Gladio with a reader unless stated otherwise in the title/desc. Ranging in rating and feels--each chapter will be the titles of such.
> 
> PLEASE remember to only request these on my Tumblr. It's just easier for me to keep track of~
> 
> RQ: Could you do prompt 17 (Is that my Shirt) with Gladiolus?

 

 

The chocobos had been frightened off into the night no thanks to daemons, it was raining, and now the both of you—Gladiolus and yourself—were trudging through the Thommels Glade wet, cold, and alone.

“I hope those birds make it back safely,” you murmured between the two of you, flinching at the coming lightning strike and the bellow of thunder that followed.

Out of instinct, Gladiolus reached over to grab at your opposite shoulder and bring you closer to his side, his other arm raised to block the heavy downpour from his sights. “Let’s worry about ourselves for now with how damn dark it is and so many daemons about.”

Your smile probably went unnoticed given how focused the King’s shield was, but you minded very little as it gave you an excuse to move into his warmth as the cold rain continued to soak you through. “The least you could do is humor me and my concerns.”

His voice resonated pleasantly in your ear given where you had placed it for the time being, Gladiolus’ touch tightening as he assisted you in a mucky, uphill climb just ahead, not wanting for you to fall. “They’ll be fine, (Y/N). Right now, I am more worried about you.”

Playfully, you rolled your eyes. “Have faith that you trained me well enough to handle myself against daemons, Gladio.”

He groaned in response, but having known him for so long, you knew he was merely mocking you a bit in a lighthearted manner. “I’ll believe that when I see it.” He was referring to how often he had to throw a potion your way to keep you standing as well as a phoenix-down in regards to your trip so far, but you were improving, and there were moments he acknowledged that.

It was all you could ask for.

“Come on now,” you began with a gentle nudge to his side, “I only had to be given four potions that time instead of eight.”

“Next time I’ll just make it a hi-potion, and then I won’t be running dry on my cures when it comes to you acting more reckless than the King himself,” the warrior jokingly taunted again.

As you came to a safe location within the surrounding lands, he raised his hand to halt you. His muscles flexed against your chest as he had outstretched the length of his arm there, and your body tensed as a result, wondering what prompted the sudden stop. “Here might be a good spot to rest for the night till this storm dies down.” He began to move out of his leather jacket, giving him only his pants to keep him warm in the horrible weather. “Here,” he offered, moving it onto your back. “This should keep you dry for a bit while I work on setting the camp.”

A small chuckle escaped you though drowned out from the roll of thunder that echoed in the distance, and it was there you moved the jacket off of your back and gave it back to him. “I have something in my belongings that can suffice. The chocobo didn’t run off with all my stuff.”

Gladiolus retrieved his leather coat, giving you a funny look there in the near lightless surroundings. “Better than my own jacket that could act as a blanket for you?”

Arms crossed over your chest, you looked away for a mere moment before gazing back at him in the thick fog of night. “Just get to working on the camp, and I’ll bother with a means to keep dry at your behest.” Blushing at his words, you were thankful for the heat rising within you given how cold it felt in the chill of night.

As your companion and mentor began to get to work on a means to keep you all safe and dry from the downpour, you moved to your backpack from where it was resting, unzipped it to expose another old shirt that once belonged to the warrior of Lucis, but he had never truly asked for it back in so long to where you kept it and continued to forget to return it (somewhat).

Gladiolus was too intent on making camp to notice what you had in your possession until several minutes later when everything was set, and he urged you into the tent he made for the both of you. “Inside, quickly—!” He paused, noting the old, gray fabric you held in your possession that nearly came down to your knees, the short sleeves almost to your elbows with how big it was. “Is that my shirt?”

You didn’t even answer right away, taking the small second break to hurry into the tent as he suggested with the shirt pulled completely over you to keep you warmer. “You never asked for it back in all these months, so I just…kept it.”

Making sure the light was nearby the tent to where it could frighten off the daemons, Gladiolus moved in hastily behind you, snatching up a towel nearby to dry himself off before tossing you one. “I always wondered where that went, and now I know,” his voice rumbled with a neutral response to it, not seeming upset by it but perhaps intrigued would be the better way to describe his reaction.

You didn’t want to admit that the mere smell of him once wearing it was soothing, so you kept that small bit of information to yourself as you unwittingly began to nuzzle into it like it was a warm blanket that kept away all the evils in the world of Eos. You had washed it several times through its use, and it saddened you to say that only small fragments of the soothing scent remained. “Did you care for it back?”

He grunted, shifting his legs about in idle thought at the matter. In the next lightning flash, you saw him move closer in that crucial second to go for your cheek and your blush merely deepened, reddening your ears by this point. A small speck of mud mixed with blood from a cut was what he was tending to with his thumb. Even if it hurt for him to touch the mark the daemon left, you hardly noticed it right away. “Keep it,” he said sincerely, his smile ever evident in the bit of light peering in from outside the tent, thanks in part to your lamp. “It offers you better protection than it does me.”

You pressed your lips together to prevent the laugh from escaping, but it was a dreadful attempt at best as it still slipped through. “Thank you, Gladio,” you said in a whisper, fingers curling upon the fabric as it felt like such a security blanket for rough times that were indeed ahead for both of you.


	2. I love you, not him!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> RQ: Ask and you shall receive: angst #13 (I love you, not him) with Gladio, please? Thanks!

Taking on hunts was rarely something that should be done alone unless you had the utmost confidence in yourself. Hunters looking for partners were easily found at bars or inns as of late about the safety locations of Eos when the light began to retreat from the world. While you usually took care in fighting beside the former King’s shield, Gladiolus, there were moments he wasn’t around, and you had to make do on your own as you required the gil and any items you could retrieve off of daemons to craft items or even make food.

There was one fellow hunter you had grown close to in the absence of Gladiolus, and that was a man who went by the name of Akimasa. He was able to use guns with such precision that it was said he could gun down a bird from the sky by merely striking its eye if he wanted to. Akimasa would merely laugh at the rumor if you ever brought it up, but you couldn’t deny how on point he was with his aim whenever the two of you hunted together.

All the same…as enjoyable and fun as Akimasa was to be around, you missed the moments you spent with Gladiolus as your fingers fondled with the hanging cross necklace he had allowed you to keep a hold onto in his absence.

“Your mind appears to be elsewhere, (Y/N),” he commented rather forwardly, brown eyes going right to the keepsake you were treasuring in mute silence.

A small laugh resonated within your throat, eyes lidded in thoughts of the shield whom guarded your heart as of late. “I apologize for that,” you whispered to your partner. “I just…miss him when he’s gone on his errands he refuses to have me be apart of.”

Akimasa’s back straightened as he leaned in closer to you from where you both were speaking at the Lestallum bar, which had grown with life since a storm had set in. “Gladio, eh?” he asked, causing you to look away as if wishing to deny it truthful as you felt bad about thinking of someone else in regards to the hunts and long nights that grew frighteningly longer still. “He seems to be a bit to himself ever since the King went missing. I guess you cannot really blame the man as he was raised to always protect him, so I guess walking around with the thought you failed that mission must be horrible.”

You sighed angrily at that harsh realization. “Don’t say that about him, please, Akimasa…”

The bitterness in your tone was detected and the fellow hunter recoiled with his hands raised to show his apology. “I’m sorry, (Y/N),” he said simply, not realizing you would get so defensive over the obvious stated.

“Gladio did everything in his power to protect King Noctis,” you went onward to say as your heart ached in a desire to defend the man when he wasn’t around to do so personally. “I wasn’t there when the King vanished and neither were you, so who are we to say he didn’t do everything he could to be sure nothing ill befell him?”

“Hey, hey, hey,” whispered Akimasa this time as he reached across the countertop to place his hand upon yours. “I didn’t mean it like that—I swear!”

Your fingers curled inward to your palm, closing your eyes to try and prevent yourself from being bitter still of the matter.  _He is only human…Why must the world expect everything of him including himself?_  you thought before turning your sights to your companion in Gladiolus’ absence. “I apologize as well… I shouldn’t have gone off on you like that.”

Akimasa moved closer to try and catch your dismissive look a bit better. “Let’s try and forget about it for now, yeah? It’ll be—!”

Before he could even hope to finish the thought, the doors audibly swung open further not far away and it was there Gladiolus stood, dark hair drenched and nearly falling into his face as his amber eyes glared daggers at Akimasa and you as well.

“Gladio…!” you gasped, moving your hand away from Akimasa’s as the King’s shield came closer to where you two sat, his frown merely deepening the closer he came.

He towered over you both, his eyes looking rather accusingly from you to the man beside you. Gladiolus never saw you with Akimasa nor did he know that you had chosen the man beside you as your alternate when the shield of the former King wasn’t around to fill in the space. “Something you wish to tell me, (Y/N)?” he asked, his voice resonating with a sort of anger he was trying to keep under control with prying eyes nearby.

You weren’t sure where the conversation was going to head, but you already didn’t like the direction of it. “Wh-What are you talking ab—.”

“—Found someone new while I’ve been away?  ** _That’s_**  what I am asking about!” Gladiolus hissed lowly so as not to draw too much attention to himself.

The accusation hurt your heart worse then you wished to admit as you shot to your feet and exclaimed in your defense, “Of course not!”

“Listen, sir—I’ve just been filling in when you’re not around!” Akimasa spoke as well.

Gladiolus didn’t seem to take that answer kindly and the baring of his teeth there in the dimly lit room was enough to make Akimasa recoil and try to pretend he said nothing at all. A sharpshooter he might have been, but even he wasn’t crazy enough to take on the King’s shield.

“Gladio, I need to speak with you—outside!” you demanded, grabbing at his arm to try and pull him away from the scene. When he refused to move at first and wanted to continue this aggressive staring contest with Akimasa, you added, “ ** _Now_**!”

Success.

The giant of a warrior turned on his heels and followed you to the front doors, away from where he was looming over your fellow hunter and within a matter of seconds you were able to have him back out just under the overhang of the bar. If there was one thing that you had on your side it was Gladiolus’ love…or so you assumed given how he acted lately and need you say the word, he would do as you asked.

“What the hell is wrong with you!” you exclaimed in a heated whisper there in the surrounding melody of the downpour.

“Me?” he repeated in shock, motioning to his chest. “What about you, (Y/N)! I come back after my time in Hammerhead, and I find you here with this other hunter holding hands and leaning in close like you’re about to kiss the bastard or something!”

Your cheeks puffed out in upset, wondering why he had to be so stubborn and not see the truth of how you felt when you thought it was painfully obvious. “The only idiot on Eos I would want to kiss is you!”

Gladiolus recoiled slightly at the blurted out words, mouth agape at the mere idea.

“Gladio,” you began calmly, trying to let the upset drain from you, “I love you, not him…” Your eyes shut tightly, arms moving as you embraced yourself. “I’ve always loved you, and you  ** _know_**  that, but I cannot sit here like some housewife you’ve left behind and do nothing while Eos and her people suffer as they do.” Your palm found the necklace he allowed you to wear and as you gripped it, you felt Gladiolus’ hands upon your upper shoulders to urge your embrace from yourself and your touch from the trinket he once adorned. “I needed a partner…I needed someone when you weren’t here…” you continued in what sounded like regret.

He sighed angrily at himself, his sights casually shifting back at the bar door to remind himself of what he fool he was perhaps before his amber eyes resided upon you yet again. “Sorry, (Y/N),” he apologized quickly, his hands moving to your cheeks to cradle and comfort you. “I’ve just…a lot on my mind is all, and I didn’t mean to take it out on you. I also didn’t mean to make you feel like some housewife either who cannot handle herself when I know you can.”

Hastily, you grabbed onto his wrists while your eyes dared not move from his to show your seriousness in the matter. “Then take me with you more often from now on,” you pleaded. “Being left here with only thoughts of you sickens me with worry and heartbreak…”

Gladiolus tried to lightheartedly scoff at the idea. “Your other partner won’t mind if I steal you away from him?”

You yourself couldn’t help but sputter out a joking laugh at the thought. Palm to his cheek, you felt the bristles of his beard tease your touch and bring a joyous flutter to your heart at just knowing he was there. “You’re the only partner I care for with my heart and soul…the one I trust as well.”

“And the idiot you want to kiss?” Gladiolus repeated from earlier, a sideways grin etching the corner of his mouth.

You gave a smile equal to his before moving upward to kiss him as you so confessed to earlier. His arms blanketing you in the continuing thunderstorm was comforting on its own as the warmth of his chest and embrace urged you into a relaxed state upon his breath filling your lungs and quickening the beat of your heart.


	3. I'm Going to be Late.. {NSFW}

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> RQ: Smut number 20 (“I’m going to be late because you can’t keep it in your pants”) with Gladio, please?

You were used to sleepless, cold, and near endless nights there in your bed within Lestallum. With the days growing shorter and the nights longer on Eos, your worries began to cripple you and being the only true suffocating blanket that found your throat like a noose at night. But even before and after the storm…Gladiolus still did his best to be around to protect you and find comfort in your presence as you did in return with the world growing colder and colder.

That evening you waited impatiently for him with your arms crossed upon your open windowsill, a frown of concern ever prevalent upon your features as Gladiolus had yet to pass into town as he usually did from time to time if he was in the area. A sigh escaped your lips in the form of crystalline vapor when embraced by the chill in the night’s air. If the Oracle had not died, the light would still be shining perhaps, but it had refused to comfort the world of Eos once more.

“Was that the last of it?” you pondered to yourself, rubbing your fingers against your arms in piteous thought. “How sorrowful…”

But your words halted as out of the corner of your eye you saw the swordsman there, mindfully walking the cracked foundation of Lestallum, heading in the direction of your home. Upon feeling your eyes on him, Gladiolus stopped in his tracks and waved in your direction as you were on the third floor of one of the hotels that had been opened as apartments since the downfall of Eos.

“Gladio!” you shouted, waving back as relief nearly made your legs give out from under you. He was always off doing who knew what and every time he left, it made it just as challenging to accept as the last.

He said not a thing in return but even the smile you could just see on his face was enough to know he was just happy to be back—with you.

Upon him disappearing under the overhang of the hotel, you moved to the door to unlock it for him, waiting impatiently for the soldier to be in your arms once more. Just as you waited eagerly for the rise of the sun, you did the same for Gladiolus to appear before you and when he was within distance, you found yourself hurrying to him to bury your face into his chest.

“(Y/N), it is good to see you again.” His voice resonated against your cheek, sending a tender hum to your ear as you grabbed onto the back of his jacket in desperation to keep him there with you. “Forgive me for taking so long. I was just—.”

“I don’t care,” you interrupted quickly, moving your chin to rest upon his chest in order to gaze upward at him. “If I am allowed to be selfish in this world, then let me be selfish with you here with me.”

A small laugh escaped him, making his chest tense slightly under your care. “If that’s the case, then let’s not waste the hours as I know you won’t have long till you have to leave and go on your own hunts.”

His lips found yours, your arms moving to his chest where you gripped upon the fabric he wore tightly before demanding it from his body to expose him further. “I take those as I please,” you whispered when Gladiolus was close enough to be spoken to, your heart thumping in eager want as his hands returned the favor of exposing you down to your undergarments in a needy fashion.

“I guess I am a far more entertaining quest,” he grinned upon your lips, his amber eyes piercing the dim lighting that filtered into the room from the outside as you bothered little to mess with the artificial lights.

With your fingers trailing behind his back once more, you felt the muscles tense as your nails playfully pricked at the warrior’s skin to excite and urge him onward as his heavy breathing at the labored erotic thoughts quivered near your ear. “One I would gladly take on daily if given the chance,” you quipped as you moved your fingertips downward to find a new mark of a cut there on his lower back. Face flushed with excitement, it faltered to concern. “What happened…?”

“Don’t pay that any mind,” Gladiolus instructed, grabbing your wrists at that point and moving your touch away and down to the bed not far from you both—a bed you had refused to make and was all prepared to be messed up yet again. He loomed over you, eyes staring you up and down as his chest heaved in unyielding want to go onward, but in the precious moonlight that had taken hold of the world, Gladiolus took in a moment to admire you there merely clothed in such a radiant glow. His fingers took to toying with your hair, letting the tresses slide through the divide of them when he marveled at the sight of you. “I’d rather spend this moment loving you then talking of my battle scars.”

You would have opened your mouth to slightly disagree but the idea ran from you in the form of a gasp as his lips found their place upon the nook of your neck, kissing you tenderly at first before rolling his teeth in caution upon your body to make you arch into the act. As his act intoxicated your mind, you found your hands going to his belt to work on removing it with ease as you had done it so often before you could easily do it in your sleep by this point. The slow, tantalizing caress of his tongue against your skin riled you onward as did the vibration of the moan that sung a sensual tune upon your body.

“Oh, Gladio…!” you moaned with your teeth raking across your lower lip knowing you had to be quiet as the walls of the hotels in Lestallum could be dreadfully thin and each room had been filled given the refugees that managed to make it.

His fingers took to fondling with the straps of your bra before moving them to the side in a quick motion to expose your breasts to him and allowing his mouth a taste of something else. The tender caress of such was warm, inviting, and prompted your nipples to erect further as the wet warmth of his tongue traced the sensitive skin to send a fire through you that only Gladiolus was possible of. The other breast was not left unattended as he grabbed upon it harshly at first until your whine of pain mixed with pleasure made his grip loosen and become more gentle as he was uncertain of what you would have preferred and hadn’t the moment to ask as he was busy admiring your form.

You lost the drive to push his pants from your way and instead, your eyes closed to be wrapped up in the erotic sensation as the curve of your hand met with your lips to let you silence your heavy panting and breathing at his admirable attention. You had gone weeks without this…months even…To have him back and in your care was like feeling as though you were a wilting flower finally feeling the sweet taste of water yet again.

His hands, massive in comparison to your own, held you in such a delicate manner when not drunk on the needs of companionship that you felt honored by his touch. Hands blooded by daemons, they were affectionate when tending to your figure. Gladiolus’ breath hardened as he broke the string of saliva from the erect nipple he had been taking precious care upon while his thumb and palm occupied the other. “Even as all of the light of Eos goes out, you are still the most beautiful damn thing I’ve seen,” he encouraged as his fingers began their journey onward to your panties to loop the fabric about his hold and remove them from your dampening entrance.

Your palms found their way to his cheeks, holding his stare there to peer upon your own though bringing him a bit closer to at least steal one kiss from his lips. “As selfish as it may seem…as long as I have you in my life, Gladio, the light can run from me, but I will always see it in your smile.”

He relaxed under that thought alone or perhaps, formulating his own inner plans in the matter; however, your attention on it all was cut short as you felt his thumb press upon your swollen clit to prompt a cry of loving want to escape your lips as your hips rolled forward to greet him. “Might want to keep it down, (Y/N),” he instructed with a lopsided grin. “The people next door might hear you.”

“Ch-Cheeky bastard…!” you chuckled breathlessly, knees bending and legs blossoming open for him to have easier access to what he desired and you equally wishing to feel as his index finger slowly maneuvered its way into your lubricated entrance. Toes curling, you thrust downward on instinct, grabbing at his shoulders to keep yourself steady as you tried to turn your moans into mere panting.

“Can hardly handle my fingers, so how are you going to handle me?” Gladiolus asked as he positioned himself a bit more properly over your quivering form, his arms on either side of you by this point as he could hardly keep himself at bay much longer.

“You’ll just have to…kiss me through the experience,” you jested while urged him onward, legs wrapping around his lower back to heel and guide him in the right direction.

“I’d do that without an invitation, (Y/N),” he grinned, forehead upon yours to let you feel how balmy he had become with mounting excitement.

Once more, his lips found yours and as his tongue begged for entrance and you relented, your body tensed at the head of his cock pushing open your budding temple. Your nails dug into his skin as you tried to accept him after going so long without it. The width was a challenge in the beginning and as your body almost rejected him, you dug your heels within his lower back to insist him onward.

With your body tightening in pleasure around him, the warrior recognized the look on your face as absolute pain and felt your body react in a struggle. He nearly retreated from the thought, but you kept him firm. “I’m-I’m not going to hurt you, woman…!” Gladiolus grunted as if refusing to go further if it was more painful than enjoyable.

“You’re not—you’re not!” you insisted (or perhaps begged) as you didn’t want him to pull back in fear of such a thing.

Knowing that fighting you would get nowhere, Gladiolus relented with a nasally huff. His knees dug into the mattress and his hands pinned your own down upon the covers, which had become a mess in the process of admiring one another. The feel of his warm thighs enclosing upon you and keeping your body firmly in place, you gasped out heatedly as his pacing started steady and then began to escalate to where you felt the both of you fully connect. Your body curling under his acts, which became faster and almost harsher, you cried out in a fit of lust as your orgasm began to build and build like a wildfire there in your stomach. Every ridge of him was erotic and welcoming as you felt his size caress and sweetly kiss your tight, throbbing entrance.

“I-I’m gonna cum, Gladio…!” you warned as you heard your own lubrication fill the air at this point in a rather lewd series of sounds as your thighs struck together time and time again. At this moment, you didn’t care how vocal you were being as you shook your head and cried out in excitement. “F-Fuck…! Oh gods…!”

He halted, burying himself as far in as he could go before his mouth drunkenly crashed upon yours where his own release soon filled your body and blanketed you in a sort of soothing warmth that was hard to describe—blossoming in your belly like that of a slowly blooming flower and oh how welcome it was to feel the petals unravel within you. With his tongue caressing and sampling the sweet taste of your saliva, you found your cries of delight muffled there in his throat in time as the mixture of your climax made a bit of a mess of your sheets when your body found it impossible to accept all of him.

Pulling from the haven of your lips, Gladiolus moved to kiss upon the corner of your mouth before bothering to do so on your forehead beaded with sweat. “Should be around more often if you’re finding it almost impossible to accept me by this point,” he teased, giving your body some form of reprieve by removing himself from you.

Feeling him do so made a gasp pass from you as you let the scarred warrior find his rest there beside you on the bed, his fingers intertwined with yours. “No matter how long it is, I will wait for you—heart, body, and soul,” you reminded Gladiolus as you turned to bathe in the afterglow of the moment. Merely lying there staring at one another…it was the one thing you didn’t want the gods to steal from you, and you would give your all to protect it.

His arm nearest to you moved, urging you closer to where you could merely rest against his chest and listen to the rapid beating of his heart and sweetly taste in mere breaths of his perspiration. “Easily, I can say the same for you, (Y/N).” Gladiolus’ fingers began to trace designs upon your back as you got comfortable, hoping to rest off the minor exhaustion that overtook you.

You found yourself slumbering for at least two hours, and upon your phone reminding you that it was time to get moving for your own day to day activities, you were nearly prevented from doing so given how heavy Gladiolus was. Attempting to remove his partial embrace from you, it merely strengthened and even within the time you both had been cuddling, you could tell he was overly ‘excited’ yet again.

“You said you can do those hunts when you want,” mumbled the gentle giant, his eyes remaining closed yet he was obviously awake enough to know what you were up to. “Why not put them off?”

“Well, in the end I’m going to be late because you can’t keep it in your pants,” you teased in regards to what you felt jabbing at your lower body.

Gladiolus stifled a laugh and a grin flashed upon his lips, his amber eyes finally finding you in the dim lighting of the ‘day’. “Choose to ignore it or do something about it, (Y/N). I am not going to make you decide.”

A laugh stifled in your throat, you moved forward to kiss him upon his forehead before tracing the scars he had upon his features with your fingertips. “Perhaps…a moment longer then,” you mused, knowing your contacts could wait just a little bit more.


	4. Stay with Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> RQ: Hello! :3 long time no speak! Hope your doing well! Also can you do 6 (“Stay with me.”) with Gladio? :3 thank you!

“(Y/N)!”

Your name rang out in the hazy, suffocating fog of pain that strangled your body and weighed it down like invisible chains seeing to it that you never found the strength to even move to your elbows. Eyes fluttered open at last, a cloudy vision of a figure loomed over you that you couldn’t make out amongst the disorienting sounds of screeches and the reverberation of metal hitting metal. The tender stinging bite struck your right arm when you tried to move it, making you hiss in dismay. It felt numb from the shoulder down to your wrist for you could at least move your fingers just a bit.

What happened…?

A horrific cry resonated in your mind and soon all fell to deafening silence till Gladiolus went to his knees there beside you in the small pool of mud you found yourself drenched within, the blade of his sword digging into the earth inches from your head as if to block anything from harming you from the front while he was tending to you. The weight of his jacket was soon upon a blanket to your weary form, bandages wrapped firmly upon your arm that resonated a sharp, horrific pain as the king’s shield moved it so.

“G-Gladio…! F-Fuck…!” you swore, tears threatening to prick the corner of your eyes as you never experienced such agony before.

“Be still!” he demanded in his low, gravely tone while continuing to bandage your wound you had yet to gaze upon (and admittedly, didn’t wish to). The might of his touch was soon upon your shoulders and it was there he urged you to at least slowly rise to your knees. “Come on—on your feet.”

There was a sharp sting that cut like lashes upon your back, making you scream on reflex, not expecting another injury to be lying in wait upon your form. The attack that had apparently wounded your back made it almost impossible for you to move at first but Gladiolus was willing to take it slowly. One arm moved underneath your front, letting you rest against it should you need to and with enough patience on his part, he saw to it that you were soon leaning against him as he took off through the woodlands to try and find a place where you could recover.

“C’mon now,” he ordered between you both, breath heavy and apparent upon the chill in the cold, rainy blanket of night. “Just lean on me.” The mud sloshed about in urgency as Gladiolus did everything he could to move onward, you with him.

Your body felt heavier than metal, making you collapse against him. “I can barely move without dragging you down…J-Just go on without me…!”

A growl resonated within his throat as he shifted your bodyweight and moved you into his arms even if it struck a horrific sensation through you as your back had been clawed into from the daemon’s surprise attack. His jacket did very little to cushion the blow Gladiolus accidentally caused. “If I have to drag you to safety myself, (Y/N), I will do it!” he insisted, being mindful of his steps so as not to agitate your injuries further when he walked.

The blood loss was immense, the pain was worse so, and with them combined, you found yourself passing out in his arms in a matter of moments—not even his yelling for you to stay awake was enough to bring you back.

You weren’t sure how long you were out for as by the time you did wake up, you had Gladiolus looming over you, his palm slapping your cheek to bring you back to him as it was the only method he knew best fit the situation after using the curatives and other items on hand to heal you. He was still soaked, water dripping from his hair, chin and X shaped necklace he wore upon his bare chest; the twinkling droplets, which caught the light about you, dripped onto your own face and chest. The surrounding was not what you expected from the outdoorsman—a hotel instead of a tent graced your sights as you looked at the atmosphere surrounding him.

“That’s it; stay with me…!” he insisted in a quieter tone, noticing you were coming back around.

“G-Gladio…?” you stammered, calming yourself as the warmth of his heavy breath caressed your face every time he panted to regain his composure. The air was stale with the faint hint of alcohol from every exhale that passed upon your lips. Even the taste of a hi-potion resonated on your tongue. “What happened…to me…?”

“You passed out,” Gladiolus answered, moving to where you could find the air a bit more breathable without him looming over you. “We were nearby a hotel, so I took to setting up here for you to recover. Trying to get you to drink a hi-potion was damn near impossible as you were, so I had to pass it to you myself.”

Your head was still ringing as you tried to regain consciousness there in the comforts of the hotel room. Fingertips upon your lips, you looked to Gladiolus once more as he continued to back away to give you proper space. “How did you manage that…?”

He grinned, moving his knee inward towards his chest and lazing his arm upon it. “To be simple about it, I had to kiss you to urge into your throat with my tongue, so I hope you didn’t mind me doing that without asking.”

A warm blush formed upon your cheeks as you looked away so as not to make the scene anymore awkward than it was. “Well, you…saved me, right? I don’t think I can argue with that.”

“Suppose so,” said Gladiolus simply, still relieved you were alive. He grinned, turning to you where he lightly nudged the side of your leg with his hand. “I promised you I would take care of you, yeah?”

You returned his grin with a gentle yet weary smile of your own. “You did, and while I don’t know or remember what happened…I thank you.”

“Was some damn harpy daemons I’ve never seen before,” commented Gladiolus to remind you of the daemon in question. “Strongest daemon I’ve encountered in awhile, but the beasts are getting stronger with the light slowly fading from Eos, so I am not surprised.” His amber eyes fixated on you, looking you up and down as a subtle breath escaped his nostrils in relief. “It tore into your arm and another clawed at your back, so you went down quite fast.”

Your eyes shifted down to the bandage on your right arm, a bit curious what the wound truly looked like but decided against knowing. “Again, Gladio, I thank you.” You were sincere as you looked to him sweetly.

“You don’t need to thank me, (Y/N),” he insisted, his body faltering into a state of relaxation. “I am just relieved you’re alright and still with me.”


	5. The Dog Loves Me More

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> RQ: Number 100 (“Not to toot my own horn or anything, but the dog loves me more.") with Gladio, please? :D

Getting off of your feet would be a blessing given how long you had to stand upon them at the local diner you worked for in Insomnia. Walking to and from work wasn’t any easier on them, but you would prefer to do so then bother Gladiolus into picking you up when he had his own things to tend to at the Citadel every day. A weary sigh escaping your lips in the chill of night, you debated grabbing a cab at the very least until the sound of something rummaging about in the nearby alleyway caught your attention.

“Mm?” In the dreadful lamp light that merely illuminated a portion of the inner alleyway, you saw a small little ball of tan and white fluff bound about in the piled up trash nearby. It was there the figure started to come into focus, and you recognized it as a small Shiba Inu trying to tear into the nearby trash bag to get the food it wanted. “Oh, hey there!” you called out, catching the dog’s attention.

It paused, ears and eyes in your direction with its mouth closed and tail still. You thought for sure it might growl or run away, but instead, the dog went right back to playfully panting and its curled tail began to wag as if being used to people. Head turned, its teeth started to chew again on the bag it was close to opening earlier.

“Well, you’re not feral,” you commented more to yourself than anybody else. In the moment, you tried to catch its attention, assuming its gender in the process. “Hey, little guy!” The dog again stopped and looked to you making you move your hand open and outward for him to sniff.

He still stared at you with interest but a hint of nervousness as well before finding the courage to pad his way forward to get a good look at your hand to smell of it and see how he felt before bothering to roll the flat of his tongue on it to show he wouldn’t bite.

Moving your palm between his ears, you pet him to the point the little guy was intent to roll over onto his side and then his back to expose his belly to you. As you pet and stroked about the thick neck fur, you felt nothing that indicated a tag of any sort. “Not taken by anybody, I see, unless they forgot to give you a collar.” You twisted your mouth to the side in thought on what to do as the dog did feel rather underfed for a pet that might have merely just been missing. Another sigh escaped you but more in terms of knowing what you had to do. “Gladio’s gonna kill me…” you whispered, opening your arms to scoop up the Shiba Inu and tuck him a bit under your coat so that he could be a bit warmer.

The pup whined, squirming a bit at first until you quieted its worries with a tender shushing sound and a few loving pets to let him know he was in good hands before traveling onward to Gladiolus’ home.

 

“You’re late, Y/N,” called Gladiolus from inside of the house upon the sound of your arrival. The melodious, deep growl of a tone was soothing and always relieved you of your stress and exhaustion of the day, but you couldn’t help but worry how he’d react to the idea you brought something home with you. He moved from the sofa he was relaxing on, a cocky grin spread upon his lips as if to start with a witty or sarcastic remark but stopped immediately upon noting what was in your arms. “Eh? Y/N…?”

“Sorry,” you apologized with a sheepish look. “I hope you don’t mind at all, but I found him just outside on my way home, and I felt real bad for the little guy.” Moving the dog about in your arms, you ushered him outwards towards Gladiolus as if to offer if he wanted to hold the critter or not. “You like dogs, right?” A part of you flinched in worry of his response.

Gladiolus cocked a bushy brow at your question, a neutral frown that was hard to decipher upon his lips as he looked at the dog that stared him down intently. “Well, I can hardly say I was expecting you to come home with a dog, so I am just surprised,” he admitted, reaching to pet it only to stop as it began to bark like he wanted nothing to do with Gladiolus. Quickly, the Shield to the young Prince jerked his hand back as if fearing to lose a finger to something so small in comparison to him. “Charming little guy,” Gladiolus quipped with sarcasm.

“Aww, he won’t bite,” you insisted while urging Gladiolus to try again if he wanted to.

“Eh,” he groaned long and hard to where the sound nearly rumbled in his throat after awhile, moving his arms across his chest to show he would prefer to not tempt fate. The way he stood made you worried he was going to deny you the thought of being allowed to keep it, but the silence between you broke as he cocked his head to the side and his features relaxed. “You might want to wash him off first. I don’t think we need dirt getting everywhere if he’s going to remain here.”

Your eyes lit up, heart thumping in excitement. “You mean I can keep him here?”

Gladiolus rolled his eyes as if to regret his decision on the matter, arms falling to his sides as if to surrender the thought. “Yes, Y/N, you can ke—!”

“Thank you, thank you!” you interrupted quickly, moving the dog just a bit in your arms to embrace Gladiolus at least as a thanks before stealing a kiss on the corner of his lips. In the simply ‘thank you’ gesture, his lips curled upward into a loving smile, his palm upon the middle of your back. Upon hugged him as your added thanks, the dog moved to lick your cheek while still squirming in your arms as if to get free.

Gladiolus noted the act and scoffed playfully. “I allow the mongrel to stay, and you get the thanks from him? Hardly seems fair.”

A laugh escaped you as you rubbed the back of the squirming dog to try and sooth it like you would any human child. “Not to toot my own horn or anything, but the dog loves me more,” you joked lightheartedly at his remark.

“Of course he does,” Gladiolus jeered with a shake of his head thumbing behind him to where the staircase was. “Go wash him or at least give him a name so I don’t give him a nickname you might not want.”

You pondered on what to truly call the dog as you wandered towards the stairway as instructed by Gladiolus. “Hmm, a name…” you spoke aloud in thought, stroking the dog between the ears once more. “I could call him Gladdy.”

“You call him that, and our relationship will be over!” Gladiolus’ voice roared teasingly from across the room as he was about to warm the dinner he had prepared for the two of you while you tended to the dog.

“It was a joke!” you hollered back with a laugh to your words as you ascended the wooden stairs, which moaned under your movement. Hand upon the railing you peered over it where Gladiolus stood not far away. “We can decide on a name together later, and it better be appropriate,” you chuckled.

You noticed Gladiolus had grabbed up two cup noodles when you mentioned the idea of a name and it was there he turned to look up at you with a grin. “What about ‘Noodle’?” he offered, probably as another joke, but a part of you couldn’t help but laugh at the thought.

“You really that obsessed over those things to name a dog ‘Noodle’?” you probed as you halted on the staircase.

“The only thing that overrides my love of this,” Gladiolus explained, showing the cup noodle package, “is my love for you, Y/N, so yes—don’t put it past me.” His grinned slowly etched its way upon his lips as he turned from you to continue onward with preparing dinner.

“How romantic,” you sighed lovingly though showing you were being sarcastic as well. “I am sure  _Noodle_  is going to be your competition for my love in all of this.” Again, you continued the climb to the top of the staircase.

“Heh,” you heard Gladiolus smirk as he worked on heating the water for the ramen, “the dog cannot love you the way I can, Y/N.” Here, he turned to look upward at you and shout his words a bit clearer. “Remember  ** _that_**  next time you’re hugging and kissing Noodle when you could be hugging and kissing me.”

Perhaps it was true, but it wouldn’t stop you from teasing him about it in the long run.


	6. Gladio's Trainee

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> RQ: So you're accepting prompts, eh... How do you feel about using a sentence from another game? I was thinking on "If anyone's going to ruin your night, it should be you" and/or "Eat my entire ass! Go legally braindead from lack of oxygen due to choking on my entire ass!". With whoever you want. Extra kudos if you know the game in question. Thanks!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: The only reason I know it’s Night In the Woods is because a friend told me. X”D So I cannot take or accept the kudos. I watched an LP of that sometime ago as I am not big on decision based games, so I forgot the lingo. Give me shooters or a sword to fight dragons any day of the week. =P However, to those of you who want to see a random accidental clip in that game that wasn’t meant to be seen that did somehow show up in a LPer’s video, go watch Commander Holly play it. Apparently after the incident in the woods after the shooting happened towards the end of the game, they got extra dialog with the mom character right after Mae wakes up before the game crashed and it was a scene that wasn’t supposed to be seen, but was buried in the data somewhere.

Training with wooden swords was one thing—training with actual weapons was another. He wouldn’t slow down no matter what part of your training you were under and apparently, having an actual broadsword swing in your direction wouldn’t halt him either no matter how close he would come to nearly cleaving your head off. Speaking of, the blade was just shy of doing so again one late afternoon but you managed to duck out of its path even if it meant rolling about in the dirt and mud of the land of Duscae.

“Focus, Y/N!” Gladiolus growled in frustration as his weight remained balanced as though swinging the enormous weapon was little a hindrance on the distribution of his bodyweight.

“You’re going to fucking murder me!” you cried out in retaliation to his attack only to witness he was about to come down again on top of you with it if you didn’t move. Eyes wide and heart pumping blood madly through your body, you rolled again and just the back flap of your jacket was caught and torn from your form given how hard you pulled and tried with all your might to get away.

The thunder rolled in the sky blotted with gray clouds, speckles of rain catching the distant light of the fading sun as you quivered in a mixture of anger and fear that your mentor would be so quick to nearly kill you.

“Daemons will be far less kind than I, Y/N,” Gladiolus reminded you as he swung the blade back over his shoulder before bending down to grab at the jacket he had accidentally torn to get a better look at the damages. “I am not going to slow down just because you won’t move your ass in time and actually swing your weapon.”

Growling at his behavior in all of this, even if you were inwardly aware it was beneficial to the worst of what could come your way in the future, you found your feet once more and summoned your sword. “Eat my entire ass!” you spat angrily as you refused to buckle to your superior. “Go legally brain dead from lack of oxygen due to choking on my entire ass!”

“Are you done?” Gladiolus asked with a raise of his brow, tossing the torn jacket in your direction to let you have it if you so wished before readying his broadsword once more. “I swear, if you spent half as much time talking  ** _out_**  your ass as you did training, you’d be far superior to me by now.”

Blinded by rage after catching your torn clothing, you tossed the tattered mess to the ground before charging in as the rain started to pour down around you both by now. Ducking from the swing of his weapon this time, you steadied your nerve as you heard it slice the wind around you and just miss the top of your head. When you attempted to land your own blow on the Shield to the King of Lucis, a harsh force suddenly came down and knocked the wind from you as you fell face first in the mud.

Blacked out for a mere second, you shook yourself back to your senses with the aid of Gladiolus pushing you over with the end of his shoe to make sure you wouldn’t drown there in the mud about you should you not break for air in time. Eyes focusing to the towering vision of your mentor in the open leather jacket he wore, you struggled to understand what blindsided you so quickly until you saw he was laying the broadsword flatways—hinting he hit you with the flat metal with enough force to knock you out when he swung back around.

“I…fucking… ** _hate_**  you…!” you mocked though tried to hide the bitter honesty behind the words as well given how tough this hunter was being in his means to make you a better fighter with the fearful thought the nights would become longer and there would soon be no light…only darkness filled with daemons. You wouldn’t let the daemons take anything else from you with the loss of your King and even part of your family that still cradled your heart in a mixture of fear, hatred, and anger.

Gladiolus’ amber eyes narrowed at your words, perhaps lost by the fraction of which was a mocking joke at his behavior. “You’re so blinded by your emotions you can hardly even see straight,” he sighed in annoyance, shaking his brown hair that soon clung to his features from the heavy rainfall all around you both. “Y/N…I know the loss of someone is great and can cause a fissure in your sensible thinking, but don’t let it become such a gorge you cannot get across to at least a sliver of logic.”

As he squatted down to your level, releasing his weapon in time, you turned from him with the hate for the daemons (and his teaching methods) bubbling up inside of you. “I came to you for help in getting my revenge on them and this is how you go about it…” You had been guided to Gladiolus as an idea for a mentor when it came to talking to a bunch of hunters at the bar in Lestallum months back. They suggested the former Shield to the missing King was the best option…if he even would allow it, and so you persisted.

Gladiolus was hardly willing to take you in at first, but you proved you weren’t so easy to be rid of and remained with the network of men and women who kept a lookout for his comings and goings just to basically beg him into submission. You weren’t sure what did him in—if it was the pestering or the fact you told him your life story in one go, but the Shield surrendered to your persistence and begrudgingly (you assumed) took you under his wing.

“I do not just train you with the hope you’ll find your revenge,” Gladiolus scolded, the words hissing past his teeth at one point in regards to your ignorance. “I train you to have the damn knowledge to know how to raise a sword to the daemons that will try to murder you the moment we lose the final piece of sunlight, Y/N!”

You gasped, biting at your lower lip with a feverish shake of your head. “I won’t fall to them, and if I do—I’ll do so with honor.”

“You are an idiot if you think dying recklessly is honorable.” The words rumbled in his throat as his lip curled in frustration at your way of thinking. Without restraint, he grabbed at your soaked shirt and pulled you closer to him where the warmth of his breath beat down upon your features in the chill of the downpour. “What small family you have left to take care of, you do so with honor and with the will to keep fighting till the last breath so you can come back to them— _you got that!_ ” he shouted, shaking you once as if to knock some sense into you or perhaps venting out past frustrations about something towards you.

You wanted to retaliate. You wanted to tell the hunter how you chose to live your life and fight was none of his concern as long as he taught you the ways to go about it. But then he had to go and say it…

“That little boy of yours back at Lestallum? Do you not think he would be devastated knowing his mother died?” Gladiolus’ voice hardened once more at the mere thought; however, you could hear the faintest of cracks in the mood’s foundation. “You fight hard, Y/N—fight hard for when salvation will come for Eos again, and you give him a world  _worth_  living in that at least has you in it.”

Words escaped you. Knees fell lazily in an awkward sitting position as you weren’t even sure what to say in response. In the past you would have said ‘fuck you’, but you decided against it for deep down, you knew he was right. “The boy is all I have left, and I don’t want him to be a victim of what I’ve had to endure…” Your voice derailed, fists clenched so tightly your knuckles turned white. “The fucking daemons will pay for all they’ve taken from the both of us.”

Gladiolus shook his head, extending his hand to offer you the chance to stand. “We better camp for the night. We won’t be getting to Lestallum anytime soon, and the sun has almost set for the day.”

You watched as he took his leave towards one of the nearby campsites he was careful to be within range of in case the day was indeed to be shorter than the last few days. “What? Don’t trust my reckless ass out on the road with a few daemons?” you asked playfully.

“You said it, Y/N, not me,” called Gladiolus from over his shoulder. “And I’ll buy you a new jacket when we get back into town.” He stopped just up on the small slope leading into the campsite space. “Sorry about tearing it. I was intentionally trying to miss you, but you wiggle about like a wild jackrabbit, so you’re harder to predict sometimes.”

Rubbing the back of your neck, you puffed out your cheeks that filled with the sigh you released. “Doesn’t make me feel better when you say that. Makes it sound like you might actually hit me one day.”

“Then be reasonable next time in your movements,” Gladiolus smirked in return as if to playfully wash his hands of the idea it would be his fault if you struck you.


	7. Storms are my Weakness..

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> RQ: hi hi, if youre accepting requests, how about gladio with a s/o who is just a mess during heavy storms because of high winds, and i mean like an irrational fear. Like him comforting her :) I have a phobia of tornadoes that even just high winds get me spooked if its cloudy and ill want to be in the closet lmao

Storms were hardly frequent in Insomnia—not near as frequent as they were in Altissia where you originated from, mind you, but regardless, the slightest hint that a tempest could approach the Crown City sent you into a bad state of mind.

The howling of the wind, the way the naked branches of the trees would cast horrific shadows on the wall when the lights flickered to absolute darkness…It brought back so many terrifying moments back in Altissia where evacuation orders were sometimes put into place that you found yourself scurrying to safety anywhere that could be deemed so: under a table, a bed, or even just nestled inside of a closet.

When the winds began to aggressively beat against the windows late one evening as you attempted to sleep, you found your heart racing as the naked tree limbs angrily rapped against the windows of your home, rousing you in an instant. For a mere minute, you tried your best to ignore it and make do with Gladiolus resting there beside you that night, but you found even his presence did little good, and it was there you shot to your feet and hurried in a blind panic to what you saw as safety.

Gladiolus apparently felt the weight of the bed being different moments later, his amber eyes widening with a muffled ‘hu’ in confusion of what was taking place all of a sudden beyond the obvious aggression of the oncoming storm. “Y/N?” he questioned when he noticed the place beside him on the bed was empty and growing cold from your lack of warmth there next to him.

When you didn’t respond, he moved the covers off of him as a thunder roll bellowed in the distance, merely muffled by how far it truly was as well as the walls keeping most of the sound at bay. His feet reaching the padded flooring, Gladiolus attempted to turn the lights on only to find the electricity had apparently been knocked out by the grace of the howling gales outside.

“Just great,” his low voice grumbled, letting his eyes adjust to the thick veil of night as he ventured about the room curiously. “Y/N? Are you around here?” He was aware of your phobia, and while he was terrified of where you had gone off to, the Shield to the prince knew that you would only go to a select few locations in your own house out of you openly expressing your disdain for storms and your key hiding places for when they occurred.

First, he checked the closet to be certain you weren’t there, but much to his surprise, he found it clear. Still, to be certain, he beckoned you just in case given the darkness that now consumed the house as it were. His sight was fair in the darkness but not great. When that spot ended up becoming a failure, the warrior moved onward in a bit of a quicker pace, shouting your name over the oncoming aggression of the storm that was inching ever closer to Insomnia from beyond the Wall.

Pushing open the bedroom door when he found the space clear, Gladiolus was about to have a moment of panic himself until he noticed you out in the hallway upon the sudden flash of lightning, which trickled in through the windows at a immediate pace. You had found yourself only able to get to the hall, pushed up against the wall with your knees to your chest and hands to your ears to block out the horrible noise and pretend nothing was happening.

You hadn’t realized you were rocking yourself in the moment as you were so traumatized by the sights and sounds—doing everything in your power to block it out by closing your eyes and covering your ears while muttering to yourself on occasion. “It’ll go away…it’ll go away…” When the sound of thunder bellowed just beyond the walls, you flinched when it vibrated against your back when the fortifications quaked under its roar, not taking note that Gladiolus was there. “By the gods, make it stop!”

“Y/N!” Gladiolus shouted, hurrying to your side to where he knelt before you to try and make you look at him and regain control of yourself. His gentle yet firm touch was upon your shoulders, trying to get you to focus and come back to yourself. “Y/N, look at me!” he urged, but when you refused to even pull your hands from your ears, the gentle giant grabbed upon your wrists and urged them slowly away, escorting you into his embrace in hopes you would find comfort and reprieve there.

You fell forward upon his chest, feeling as he flexed upon impact while the weight of his embrace cradled you in a protective stance that no hiding place could truly do better. The back of his hand soothed your head in a sweet up and downward motion as he attempted to bring you down from the anxiety that was raking through you at an alarming rate. “I thought I got away from such things when moving from Altissia…!” you sobbed, fingers accidentally pricking the Shield’s skin in a desire to remain close, quivering and letting out a sharp cry when lightning struck brightly near the house, followed by a horrific bellowing sound that shook the entire foundation.

“Storms are everywhere, Y/N. Had I the ability, I would shoot down the gods for torturing you like this, but even I have my limits on what I can do in your name,” sighed Gladiolus, wishing there was a place you could truly feel safe. His embrace tightened all the more when he felt you quiver, the dampness of your tears staining his bare skin. “Think you can stand?”

You shook your head quickly as your legs had succumbed to absolute horror. The very idea of being able to move was beyond you now.

Hearing the gentle sigh of regret from the Shield, Gladiolus moved his forearm behind your back, the other going directly under the bend in your legs after straightening you outright to get a better position in which to scoop you up in his arms bridal style.

Finding solitude with your head upon his chest, you curled up closely there near where his heart beat loudly. Perhaps the soothing sound of it would bring you back down to a better state of mind. It was a gentle, yet proud rhythm that lulled you into a fixated state to better times even if the thunder tried its absolute best to outshine the Shield’s powerful barrier about you.

When the bed’s mattress soon came in contact with your legs, you almost began to hyperventilate, not liking the idea of being so close to windows as it were with a storm raging outside. “N-No! Not here! Please!” you begged, heeling the sheets as if you were a cat about to be put into a bath and doing everything in your might to fight back the thought.

“Where then?” Gladiolus asked, grabbing you tightly as if fearing you may actually channel such cat like abilities and run off again. As you thrashed and fought against him in that same panicked state that blinded you, Gladiolus moved you off of the covers in a hurried manner. “It’s alright—calm down, Y/N, or you’re going to hurt yourself!” he instructed through his clenched teeth, holding you firmly in his arms still. Easily you could tell how powerful he truly was as it was difficult to budge at times when Gladiolus had a firm hold on you.

“A-Anywhere else—somewhere without windows where I don’t have to see it…!” you pleaded, arms moving to about Gladiolus’ neck, burying your face in the nook of it to blot out most of what you had to give witness to.

He probably knew a closet wouldn’t fit the both of you given his size in comparison to yours, so in that moment, he turned and headed down the hall to where the bathroom was in hopes you would find that preferable instead. Honestly, you hadn’t even noticed where you were going till the dark chill of the room came into focus after Gladiolus had shut the door behind him. “How about here?” he asked, guiding you down to the tiled flooring near the tub. “There’s hardly anything that will harm you here, and the sound is a bit muffled too,” he pointed out, scratching an annoying itch on the side of his nose that you could just make out from his moving silhouette.

You nodded, not realizing he probably couldn’t see what you were doing given the lighting situation. “I-It’s fine…a bit better…”

Gladiolus moved, looking to the lower cabinets nearby where he began to fish through them for the flashlight he seemed to remember being there in case of emergencies. Turning it on, he placed it in the center of the bathroom for the time being to let that suffice for a light source. “Now we have some light as well,” he said simply, moving to beside you to urge you back into his embrace. Eventually the position led to you just sitting between his legs and resting backward upon his bare chest as he resided against the porcelain tub, taking in the simple sounds of him breathing, talking, or even swallowing. Simple, yes, but they were the best defense you had against anything that ailed you. “How are you feeling?”

You nodded, a shaky inhale quaking from your lips as you responded to him. “A bit better…” The sounds were indeed distant, but what did get through was the minor quaking of the house whenever thunder rolled near the building. “By the gods, I feel like I am going to be sick whenever I feel it shake my house…”

Gladiolus’ embrace tightened, a reassuring squeeze of sorts to bring rest to your rising worries once more while his legs moved as if to confine you in place. His lips nestled upon the top of your head, the kiss lingered before his hands found yours to twine his embrace across your front. “Just give it a moment, beautiful. It’ll pass,” he said reassuringly, grumbling openly about something shortly after. “If I remembered to bring my phone in here, I’d say we could listen to music or something, but I left it back in the bedroom, and I am not going to leave you here alone as you are to fetch it.”

Thinking he might for a moment leave, you grabbed onto his hands all the tighter. “This is fine, Gladio…J-Just stay here with me, okay?”

You could practically hear his smile there in the darkness when he lightly laughed to himself, his chest stiffening on the act only to relax afterward. “I’d sleep in the tub with you if it made you feel better, Y/N. I am not going to go anywhere even after the storm passes.”

Inwardly, you knew he wouldn’t. As the night continued with the aggression of the tornado kept at bay by those small four walls and the love of Gladiolus, you found yourself lulled into the welcoming blanket of casual conversation, jokes, and talks of days past. The once horrific evening turned into something more pleasant, and each gentle purring hum of Gladiolus’ words that resonated against his chest made you fall ever deeper into the throng of sleep.


End file.
